Halloween is a popular holiday across the U.S. and especially in Alexandria where pets can be seen trick or treating up and down King street at local merchants. It can also be a stressful and even a dangerous holiday for pets. Awareness and planning will help your pets stay safe. Here are some safety tips: Keep candy and goodies out of reach. Keep pets away from candy bowls to avoid accidental ingestion of chocolate, which can be toxic to dogs and cats. Also beware of candy wrappers, which can be hazardous if swallowed. Be careful with costumes. Only dress-up your pet if he is receptive to it. If he isn’t happy, take it off. Masks can cut off peripheral vision, making a dog or cat nervous. Even the best behaved dog or cat can get upset when he can’t see what’s coming from the side. Inspect the costume and remove any small or dangling pieces that could become a choking hazard. Make sure candles are out of reach. Even if you think your pet won’t get at the candles, they can be knocked over, and tails & fur can quickly ignite. Use a safety glowstick or flashlight instead. Keep pets inside in a […] Read More

Halloween is a popular holiday across the U.S. and especially in Alexandria where pets can be seen trick or treating up and down King street at local merchants. It can also be a stressful and even a dangerous holiday for pets. Awareness and planning will help your pets stay safe. Here are some safety tips: Keep candy and goodies out of reach. Keep pets away from candy bowls to avoid accidental ingestion of chocolate, which can be toxic to dogs and cats. Also beware of candy wrappers, which can be hazardous if swallowed. Be careful with costumes. Only dress-up your pet if he is receptive to it. If he isn’t happy, take it off. Masks can cut off peripheral vision, making a dog or cat nervous. Even the best behaved dog or cat can get upset when he can’t see what’s coming from the side. Inspect the costume and remove any small or dangling pieces that could become a choking hazard. Make sure candles are out of reach. Even if you think your pet won’t get at the candles, they can be knocked over, and tails & fur can quickly ignite. Use a safety glowstick or flashlight instead. Keep pets inside in a […] Read More

By Becky O’Neil My previous education and business experience were limited to the technical side of doctor’s offices, so I didn’t think I was prepared to be an entrepreneur. Still, I wanted to have my own business, so experience aside, I decided to jump in with both feet. I did my research, wrote my BUSINESS PLAN, and hung out my shingle. Suddenly, I was a professional pet sitter with my own small business. I provided daily dog walking services for busy professionals and pet-sitting services for owners when they went out of town. My business grew organically, and within six months, I had more business than I could handle on my own. I solicited advice on how to hire employees from the Community Business Partnership in Springfield and took the plunge. Not long afterward, I had a small staff that could provide most of the pet care services for our clients, and I was free to spend most of my time growing the company. I had no outside investors, which worked fine in the beginning. We would spend a little money, grow a little, spend a little more and grow a little more. I stuck to that system because early […] Read More